BBMP council's term ends on Sept 10, Congress dares BJP govt to hold polls

Condemning the state government’s decision not to conduct the BBMP election before its term, opposition Congress leaders staged a protest during the council meeting on Tuesday.

Opposition leader Abdul Wajid said that the earlier BJP government had postponed elections for three years "without a reason". Now that it "mishandled" the Covid-19 crises and corporators spent money granted during the previous Congress regime, people are "angry" about the administration. The BJP government, which did not spend any money for the past year and a half, is "afraid" of losing the elections if they conduct it now, Wajid said. It is not even two-and-a-half months since the government announced delimitation of the wards. Now, it is trying to increase the wards from 198 to 225, which is nothing but a reason to postpone the elections. The government has "no courage" to face the elections, Wajid added.

Mayor M Goutham Kumar said the state government did not say it would not conduct the elections. He asked Wajid not to imagine things and present them to the council.

Wajid dared the government to announce the election dates or accept that it is not in a mood to conduct them. He asked the BBMP commissioner to explain under what grounds the administrator will be appointed after their term ends on September 10.

Later, the head of the BBMP legal cell said an administrator can be appointed on three occasions under section 100 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act: a) if the court stays elections, b) if the election of all councillors or more than two-thirds of them is declared void by a competent court or authority or c) if all the councillors or two-thirds of them resign.

Since the provisions will not apply to the prevailing situation, the government can appoint an administrator under Section 508 of the KMC Act. By an order published in the official gazette, the government can make such provisions not inconsistent with the act as it appears to be necessary or expedient.

Several former mayors from the opposition party such as G Padmavathi, B N Manjunath Reddy and others said BJP corporators are defending the state government without valid reasons. It looks like the BJP does not have confidence in the democratic setup and that is the reason why it has not prepared the reservation list, they said.

BJP leader Padmanabha Reddy blamed the state election commission for not declaring the date and give a deadline to the government so that it can submit the reservation list and other documents. The council meeting has been extended to Wednesday.